


Tony Didn't Ask For This (But He's Not Complaining)

by Pookiethefrickinbunn



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Farmer Tony Stark, Found Family, Hurt Peter Parker, Iron Dad, Irondad Spiderson - Freeform, Kid Peter Parker, Kidnapping, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Prince Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, The Friendly Neighborhood Exchange 2020, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Worried Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:41:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26622325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pookiethefrickinbunn/pseuds/Pookiethefrickinbunn
Summary: Based on the nonsense that spewed out of the boy’s mouth all night and the visual context clues, Tony was pretty sure he knew the identity of his guest. He wasn’t an idiot. He knew only a prince would wear what the child had on. And only a prince would have access to a horse like the one that was accompanying him. In fact Tony was sure there would be more evidence in the saddle bags that were on the steed. But the man was afraid to leave the child to go check.---OR  The story of how a humble farmer named Tony came across the lost prince from the neighboring kingdom.Farmer!Tony and Price!Peter Medieval AU.Friendly Neighborhood Exchange 2020  - Farmer Tony and Prince Peter prompt. Plus a kidnapping in chapter two.
Relationships: Natasha Romanov & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 4
Kudos: 55
Collections: The Friendly Neighborhood Exchange





	1. Meeting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vero_nica](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vero_nica/gifts).



> Okay. I really hope you like this. I have no experience when it comes to writing anything medieval or anything with kings and queens and all that jazz. But...I had so many ideas about what I could do with this prompt, and in the end I had to fill it. -- I'm also a sucker for a good kidnapping fic. So I definitely did that for chapter two. I hope you don't mind. 
> 
> I have so many other little dabble ideas for some additional chapters. But I wasn't sure if anyone would want to read them or if it would just be self-indulgent at that point. Peter learning about crops and working with animals. Peter getting tutored by the local hermit/medicine man (Bruce) or the aftermath of the kidnapping. - Let me know if you would like to read anything else. If not, please enjoy this fic. It's not great, but I did my best.

Tony knew that he shouldn't have left for home so late, but he had picked up such a good deal in the market. He couldn’t just go home. Not when he had the opportunity to get so much product for such a reduced price. He knew he would be getting in late, but this was later than he thought. He had been riding for hours in the dark, and he was anxious to make it to his bed. His knees and back were starting to ache. 

Eventually the lonely farmer came to his property and quietly unpacked some items at the cottage before going to the barn to put away his horse. Everything seemed to be normal as Tony opened the wooden barn door, but that illusion faded when Tony came face to face with a large black horse who stood a few feet inside the barn. His head snapped up in attention, and the hay that he held in his mouth stilled as he looked back at the man. 

Tony’s eyes widened as he stared back at the horse in equal surprise.

“Well you’re not my horse,” Tony said, an eyebrow quirking as he quickly tied his own horse outside before re-entering the barn. The animal seemed to have just been placed in the barn to wander freely, as there was no bridal or reins on the horse to direct it or tie him up. Though, it did seem that it still had a saddle on it’s back. Perhaps for a quick escape? 

“Hey there bud. How did you get in here?” Tony asked as he slowly approached the black animal. As Tony drew closer, the horse seemed to relax, dipping his nose down and taking a few steps towards the inventor. It’s nostrils flared with curious sniffs and soon the man was able to pet the horse’s muzzle before it allowed him to get closer.

It was a nice horse, a charger by the looks of it. It definitely didn’t belong to a neighboring farmer, that was for sure. This horse was used for war. Upon further inspection, Tony noticed a crest on the end of the saddle blanket designating that this horse belonged to the Royal Parker family in the neighboring kingdom. Perhaps a traveling soldier had comindeered his barn or cottage for the night. It definitely wasn’t uncommon for soldiers. 

“Hello?” Tony suddenly called out, turning to face the rest of the barn. “Anyone in here?” He asked, but all that came back in response was silence. It was too dark to search the barn any further. So with that Tony gently guided the horse into an empty stall before putting his own horse away. And from there he went to the cottage to see if his guest was there. 

To Tony’s surprise, there was no one. The home was just as cold and dark as when he had left early that morning. In fact, it looked as if no one had been there while he had been gone. Nothing was missing or out of place. So with that Tony grabbed a lantern and returned to investigate the barn. 

This time when Tony returned, he could hear noise. It wasn’t terribly loud, but it sounded like someone was crying, and they weren’t trying to be quiet about it. Tony stilled on the other side of the door for a moment, not necessarily wanting to walk in on a soldier being vulnerable, but Tony did his best to ignore that thought. Afterall, this was his property. He would go where he pleased, crying adult or not. So Tony opened the door and walked in. 

As soon as the door opened, the sobbing stopped, making Tony still. Tony looked around the barn but still couldn't see anything from where he was standing. “I know you’re in here, I could hear you a mile away,” Tony taunted, holding the lantern in front of him as he walked deeper into the barn. 

All the man got in response was a few sniffles. 

“Come on now. No need to be shy about crying, we all do it,” Tony said as he followed the noises. And when Tony turned the corner to where his guest should be, he found nothing. Or, what he thought was nothing. The farmer stood in confusion as he looked at the pile of hay in front of him. The longer he stood there though, the easier he could see that the pile of hay was moving. Tony started at it for a moment longer before another loud sniffle sounded from the pile. There was no way an adult could successfully hide under that hay, Tony realized. But a child could. The thought that he could be dealing with a child made Tony sick with anxiety, but he did his best to push the feeling down. 

“Hey. I-It’s okay. Just come out please. I want to see who owns the pretty black horse,” Tony said, not really sure what else to say that would comfort a crying child. “I won’t hurt you, I promise.” The sniffling suddenly stopped and Tony stood rooted in place for what felt like forever. It seemed like the person hiding wasn’t going to respond, but suddenly a high pitched, shaking voice, sounded from under the hay. 

“I’m sorry sir. I-I got lost and I didn’t. I didn’t know where to go. But it was getting dark and I found your barn but I promise I didn’t take anything.” -- Okay, he was definitely dealing with a child.

“It’s okay kid. I believe you,” Tony said as he sat down on a bench that wasn’t too far off. “But you want to tell me who’s horse that is? Were you traveling with a soldier? Because your four legged friend looks a little too nice to be a workhorse,” the man said as he set down the lantern. The pile of hay was silent for a little moment longer, but soon the voice spoke again. 

“That’s my horse,” the voice said. Tony could tell that the kid was trying to put some sort of authority into his tone, but there was a wobble to it, as if he was trying not to cry. 

“No offence kid, but you do not own that horse. Does your brother or father work for the King up north? Were you traveling?” Tony asked. 

“I was traveling...with my father,” the voice responded. “And that’s my horse. His name is Shadow.” 

“Okay, okay. Whatever you say,” the older man said as he scrubbed his face. He was too tired to deal with a child today. Much less one that had broken into his barn. “Well why don’t you get out of that hay there and you can come to my house. We’ll go look for your father in the morning. It will be a lot more comfortable,” Tony suggested. 

“I-I can’t,” the voice whimpered, and Tony was sure the kid was going to burst into tears at any moment. 

“Sure you can. I’m not about to leave you out here. Especially when your dad works for a royal guard.” 

“No,” the voice suddenly sobbed. “I can’t move. I can’t get up,” the child said, making Tony’s eyebrows raise.

“Come on kid, sure you can. You got yourself in there didn’t you?” Tony asked, but all he got in response was silence. “Are you really going to make me pull you out of there?” Tony asked. Again, silence. 

“You have to be kidding me,” Tony said as he stood from the bench and walked closer to the pile of hay. “Alright kid, I’m going to pull you out. Don’t bite me, okay?” The man asked, and suddenly he was leaning down to fish the child out of the forage. 

The first thing he noticed when he made contact with the body was how hot the child was. He was absolutely burning up. Tony wondered if maybe he was that hot from being under the hay, but he touched the kids arm as well, and realized that it was the child’s body that was radiating the heat. Tony fished around in the hay till he found the boy’s armpits and after getting a good grip he pulled up. 

Wow, this kid was sweaty. 

As the hidden figure emerged from the forage, the first thing that caught Tony’s eye was the leather jacket the boy was wearing. It was nice, really nice. But the thing that caught his eye was the red and blue silk that lined the inside of the jacket. This was too nice, even for a guard’s son to wear. In fact, no one would be caught wearing something like this besides the Royal family.

Tony’s blood turned to ice as he stilled for a moment before pulling the boy completely out of the hay to get a better look at him. 

“ _ Jesus Christ Almighty,”  _ Tony stammered as he looked at the child that was now in his arms. The boy’s brown curls were pressed to his forehead in sweat and pieces of hay stuck every which way in the boy’s sweat soaked hair. And the kids face. It was pale, and it didn’t look like a complexion thing either. He looked sick. Tony wasn’t sure if it was from being under so much hay for so long, but the boy’s eyes were red and swollen and snot dripped from his nose and ran down his cheek. He was a mess. 

“Okay. Hey, you’re okay,” Tony said, not sure if he was reassuring the child or himself “You’re okay. Let’s just stand you up and we’ll get you some water. Maybe lay you down in a bed...away from hay,” Tony said as he maneuvered the kid a bit more, but the child didn’t comply. He just moved with Tony like he was a doll. 

“I can’t stand,” The boy sobbed as Tony tried to help the boy up. And suddenly Tony found the boy leaning up against his chest, trying to use him as support as his arms dangled from his body, unused. 

“Okay, okay,” Tony said, placing one of his hands on the boy’s back. In an instant the boy was flinching against his side and letting out another sob. Tony suddenly stilled and looked at where he had just touched, only to find himself holding his breath. There was a large wound on his shoulder. It started around the boy’s clavicle and went down his back. It looked like someone had brought down a sword on the child. As Tony examined it even more he noticed that mud had been packed around the top of the wound, and Tony wondered if the kid had done that to try and stop the bleeding. The bottom of it though was still open and angry. And in that moment Tony realized that what he had thought was sweat under the kid’s arm was probably blood. 

“I’m going to pick you up,” Tony suddenly said as he readjusted his grip so that he could scoop up the boy’s legs. “It’s going to hurt, but just hold on.” Tony said, trying to reassure the boy. The only reply Tony got was a high pitched wail as he lifted the boy. With one quick movement, the simple farmer grabbed the lantern and made his way back towards his cottage, the little boy crying the entire way back. 

After setting the lantern on the table, Tony made his way towards his bed at the back of the room. After setting the boy down on the bed, Tony collected a bowl of water and a rag before returning to the boy. He wasn’t in the best shape, and judging by his wound, it was probably infected. Tony knew the boy would probably not survive the next few days if he didn’t tend to it thoroughly. 

“What happened to you?” Tony asked as he kneeled down by the child. He just wanted to distract the boy from the pain he was in. He just needed to get to that shoulder. 

“I-I was traveling with my father and mother. We were visiting your king and then we got attacked,” The boy hiccuped, trying his best to speak through the tears. 

“Your father and mother?” Tony asked as his eyes landed back on the leather jacket that the boy wore. With a shaking hand Tony opened the front of the jacket and examined the silk that lined it. It wasn’t dirty, but well kept. It looked almost new, but Tony could tell that it was well loved. And then something caught Tony’s eye. -- The small crest of the Royal Parker family, embroidered on the inside by one of the seams. The man opened his mouth to ask another question but then paused. The boy in front of him was a sobbing mess, and Tony couldn’t continue on with a good concious if he pried anymore than he already was. He would get more info when the child was on the mend. 

“Let’s get this jacket off of you,” Tony said instead as he helped the boy sit up before peeling the clothing off of his torso. As the jacket came off, it pulled at the wound on the shoulder, and the boy let out a wail, his entire body shaking in response. “I know, I know. I’m sorry,” the man said as he carefully removed the rest of the jacket. 

* * *

The farmer was used to not getting enough sleep, but the night had taken a lot out of him. Surprisingly, the child was still alive. It had been a long night of sobbing and babbling as the boy faded in and out of consciousness. Tony had done his best to clean the wound, and even put a bit of ointment on it. But besides changing the boy into one of his own shirts, there was nothing else he could do. So he tried to make him comfortable. The night consisted of dabbing his forehead with a wet cloth and giving him sips of water every now and then. But other than that Tony just stayed at his side to make sure that he hadn’t stopped breathing. 

Based on the nonsense that spewed out of the boy’s mouth all night and the visual context clues, Tony was pretty sure he knew the identity of his guest. He wasn’t an idiot. He knew only a prince would wear what the child had on. And only a prince would have access to a horse like the one that was accompanying him. In fact Tony was sure there would be more evidence in the saddle bags that were on the steed, but the man was afraid to leave the child to go check. 

As the night continued on, Tony tried to come up with a game plan. The only problem was there were too many variables to what had happened to the child for him to just make one plan. Were there people after him? Would they come to the farm? And who would they be loyal to? Should he return the prince to his kingdom? Or would that put him in even more danger? Tony didn’t know, and he knew he wouldn’t necessarily know what to do until the boy told him what had happened to him. 

* * *

The sound of floor boards squeaking woke Tony from his sleep, and he found himself scrambling around on the floor as he tried to figure out what was going on. The lantern had gone out at some point in the night, but light was filtering in from the single window that the cottage had, letting Tony know it was morning. In the dim light, Tony could see a smile figure silhouetted in front of him. 

Right. The kid. 

“What are you doing standing up?” Tony asked as he scrubbed at his face, trying to wipe the sleep out of his eyes. “You should be in bed, sleeping.” 

“I have to use the bathroom,” A small voice responded in the darkness. 

“Oh,” was all the man could manage to say in reply. Of course the kid would need to do that at some point. “There is a spot outside. I’ll show you,” Tony said as he stood, his bones popping on the way up. 

“Thank you,” the child said in response as he followed Tony out of the cottage.

Tony averted his eyes from the child as they made their way outside, and while the kid did his thing. But once he was finished, Tony decided it would be a good idea to get a better look at him, not that it was light. 

He still looked sick, his complexion lighter than Tony would like, and dark circles forming under his eyes. But he definitely looked like he had more life in him than the previous night. Tony’s large shirt draped over the boy’s small frame like a large tunic, but he could still tell that the boy was small. His skin seemed smooth and free from any blemishes, and Tony could tell he had never worked a day in his life. 

“You hungry?” Tony asked, never taking his eyes off the kid as they made their way back to the home. 

The boy only shook his head. 

“Okay. Well let me know if you want to eat anything. I’m going to make breakfast,” The older man said as he walked the boy back to bed. 

The entire time Tony prepared his breakfast, the boy stayed silent, and the man half expected the kid to be passed out. But when he looked over at him after taking a bite of his food, he could see the boy staring at him. 

“You got a name kid?” Tony asked, picking at he bread before taking another bite. 

“I’m not supposed to tell you that,” the boy muttered, his eyes unblinking. 

“Right,” the man nodded. “Is that because you’re a prince or something?” He asked,his eyes flickering up to the boy. Tony watched as the kid visibly flinched in the bed, pulling the blanket closer around his injured shoulder. 

“H-how do you know that?” Peter asked, a wobble forming in his voice. 

Oh no. The kid was going to cry. 

“Hey, It’s okay!” Tony said, dropping his bread and holding his hands up in surrender. “I’m not going to hurt you. Okay? You’re safe here,” the man said carefully as he watched the boy. “I just guessed. Because of your clothes and your horse. That’s all. I promise you’re safe. I promise.”

All the boy did in response was stare at him. 

“What happened out there?” Tony quietly asked. “You said you were traveling with your father and mother?” Tony asked. 

“Yeah,” the small boy said quietly, his eyes now cast down. “But I don’t remember what happened,” he admitted as tears began to fall from his eyes once again. “We were going home and then there were some bad people that- that-” The boy started, but he couldn’t seem to finish his sentence. 

“It’s okay. You don’t have to talk about it yet if you’re not ready,” Tony said, still frozen in his surrendered position. “I just want you to know that you’re safe. I’ll make sure you’re taken care of and when you’re feeling better we’ll get you home.” Tony said, trying to comfort the clearly traumatized child. 

“I’m just a humble farmer. But you can call me Tony,” the older man said, lowering his arms. The boy just blinked back at him briefly before sniffling out a reply. 

“My name is Peter. Peter Parker,” He said, his voice weak.

And even though this kid wasn’t even his kingdom’s royalty, but just a total stranger, Tony felt something in him well up with emotion. He was forming some sort of attachment to the kid. To  _ Peter.  _ Maybe it was his big brown eyes, or how innocent and naive he was. Or the fact that he was injured and all alone. Tony didn’t know what it was, but he suddenly came to the realization that he would do anything for Peter. 

“It’s nice to meet you, your highness.” 


	2. Missing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony’s panic escalated as he ran through the small cottage, calling the boy’s name. But he wasn’t there. In a blind hope that maybe he was outside, Tony vacated the home and went in search of the child on the surrounding property. But he was gone.
> 
> Someone had taken the prince.
> 
> They had Peter. 
> 
> They had his kid.

Tony felt like this heart was going to explode out of his chest as a makeshift campsite came in sight. It wasn’t terribly far away, maybe a quarter of a mile by the man’s estimate. Far enough that he could tell there were people gathered by the fire, but not close enough to identify anyone. The man was in reach of the camp, but he knew that if he got any closer an animal or someone else might notice that he was there. So Tony waited, trying to see if there was any sign that his kid was in the camp. 

His kid.

What a strange thing he had come to call the boy that had fallen into his lap nearly eight years ago. What a strange thing to call the missing crown prince, the heir to the throne in the neighboring kingdom. Over the years Tony had definitely come to think of him as his son, but that was an inappropriate title to give the child. It wasn’t his place and he would never blur the line between his status and the boy’s. Even if he was in hiding. Even if they did pretend to be master and apprentice the few times he took the kid out in public, Tony would never let the kid forget who he was. Because one day the kid would have to return to his kingdom and claim his rightful place on the throne. 

But Tony knew that the kid, _Peter_ , had other ideas. -- He knew the child never wanted to go back to his kingdom. In fact, he was constantly pleading with the older man to just “leave him be.” Peter liked the life of a simple farmer. He loved the animals and outdoors, and he especially enjoyed the hard labor of harvesting the crops. He loved being able to feel free to do whatever he wanted without anyone waiting on him. Without having problems looming over his head. 

But Tony could see that Peter had the nature of a true leader. He was incredibly sharp. Smart as a whip. He was quick on his feet when it came to decision making, but made said decisions based on facts and evidence, rather than letting his heart get in the way. He was slow to anger and caring towards others. In fact Tony sometimes wondered if the child was maybe a bit too caring. The farmer had definitely seen the boy do some pretty selfless things for people and it made him wonder if he had a selfish bone in his body. -- And then there was his bloodline. A descendant of many wise Kings. Men who were compassionate to their subjects, who would die for just one of the common people. Men who lead the kingdom into great eras. All of that blood was flowing through the boy. That blood did not deserve to live in solitude for the remainder of the boy’s days. It was meant to rule. 

So while Peter was in his care Tony made sure that the boy continued his studies. Mathematics and language, as well as the history of his home. On top of that he had the boy learn basic self defense. He was on the run, and many people would do anything if they found out the location of where the boy was, much less that he was still alive. - But even after all the countless hours of combat training that went into the child, Peter had still been taken. 

They came while Tony had been plowing the field a half mile from the cottage. Peter had worked himself all morning and once the sun was high in the sky Tony begged the boy to go inside and rest. The kid just shook his head, gave the man a fond smile, and then turned to return to the home. That was the last time Tony saw Peter.

When the boy didn’t come back after a few hours, Tony didn’t think anything of it. The kid had simply worked harder that he had thought and he was sleeping off the exhaustion. At least that was what Tony told himself. -- And then it started getting dark. Surely the kid was awake by now, and perhaps he had stayed in the cottage to make a meal for the two when Tony returned. It definitely wouldn’t have been the first time. So with food on his mind, the older man put up his livestock and plow and started making his way towards his home. 

The first thing that tipped Tony off to something being wrong was the fact that the front door was open. Not only that, but that it had been knocked off of it’s hinges. The older man felt the anxiety build in his chest as he quickly ran through the doorway, only to see that the entire front room had been trashed. A table and all it’s contents had been overturned while a kettle laid on the ground, water pooled on the floor. Papers were strewn about and the small bed at the corner of the room had been overturned. There had definitely been a struggle. 

Tony’s panic escalated as he ran through the small cottage, calling the boy’s name. But he wasn’t there. In a blind hope that maybe he was outside, Tony vacated the home and went in search of the child on the surrounding property. But he was gone.

Someone had taken the prince.

They had Peter. 

They had his _kid._

Not knowing what else to do, Tony looked for any sort of clue as to where the kidnappers could have gone. Or even who they were. There were many people who had an interest in Peter. But in the end Tony couldn't find anything. He had no idea when the men had taken the boy, or even how many there were. It might help if he knew who they worked for, so that he could travel in the right direction, but he didn’t even know that. So with all of his options exhausted, Tony looked for someone who could help him. 

He had a friend who owed him a favor. A mercenary they called The Black Widow. She had no allegiance to kingdoms or family names, and she was a hell of a tracker. Tony was confident she could help. And after a few hours of searching, Tony found her in a pub. 

“They took my kid,” Tony said, his voice breaking slightly as he came into the woman's line of sight. 

“Well it’s good to see you too Anthony,” the redhead said, quirking an eyebrow as she set down her drink. 

“Natasha. They took my kid,” Tony said again, his tone laced with a bit of annoyance as he advanced on her. Now only the table divided them. 

“Who took your kid? Do you know why they took him?” the woman calmly asked. 

“I-” Tony began before stopping to see who was in the pub. Anyone could use this information against them. But to Tony’s favor, the pub was nearly empty, with only two other patrons who were drunkenly leaning over the bar, engaged in loud chatter. “I don’t know who took him. But listen to me, this kid is important, you have to help me get him back.” 

“I like Peter, you know I do," Natasha tisked. "But I can’t drop everything to spend the next few days looking for the kid. I can ask a few of my connections if they have seen anything but I can’t-”

“Natasha,” the farmer said, his voice straining as he tried to stay composed. “He’s the missing prince from the Northern Kingdom. I came across him after his parents were killed and he’s been with me since. It’s imperative we get him back. Whoever took him knows who he is. They have to. Not only is he in danger, but the future of us and the surrounding countries could be as well.”

The red head just blinked back at the man for a moment, as if trying to get her brain to reset with the new information she was just given. And then after a moment, she pressed her lips together before sighing through her nose. 

“I’ll talk to some sources. See what I can find. If I have a lead, I’ll get back in contact with you tomorrow morning. Early. Your place. In the mean time, see if you can find anything as well. We’re going to have to be quick. Time is not on our side,” Natasha said before standing up. “We’ll find him. Okay?,” Natasha said, giving the man a small smile before leaving Tony alone in the pub. 

In the end Tony couldn’t find anything. He asked around. He tried searching the general surrounding area on his horse. He even tried to see if the men had left any tracks that would tell him where they had gone. But in the end he couldn’t find anything. He was tired and exhausted, but he couldn't sleep because his kid was missing.

Natasha came back to the farm as promised, and Tony was immediately at her side when she came galloping onto the farm with her horse.

“Anything?” he asked as the woman dismounted.

“There is talk of a group of men that were toting a teenager around last night, heading west. Sounds like it’s a group of men that work for Osborn’s guard. My guess is that they are bringing him to the king. I have two possible locations of where they could be, but we have to act fast.” With that Natasha pulled out a map from her saddle bag. “How do you feel about splitting up?”

* * *

It had been hours since Tony had come across the camp, but unfortunately he had to wait till it was completely dark. It would be easier to get the jump on them, and Tony had a better chance of using the element of surprise if most of them were asleep. So he waited, and waited. Finally the activity in the camp calmed down, and about an hour later, Tony made his move. He knew there were six men. Four of them seemed to be in makeshift tents while one patrolled the area. Tony had seen a sixth, but he did not have a location on them. So taking his dagger, Tony descended on the camp, looking for any clue that Peter might be with them. 

The man rummaged around by the tent for a moment before making his way to the luggage. He did his best to stay in the shadows, trying to see if they had left the child with the horses, but he must have given himself away because there was suddenly a sharp pressure at his back. 

“Don’t move,” A voice called out. It was light and high, and Tony knew that the voice belonged to a boy. Probably no older than Peter. “Who are you, what do you want?” They asked. It was clear they were putting on a front of bravery, but it did not fool Tony. 

“My horse was stolen last week. I’m just checking people passing through. Just looking,” Tony lied, his hand gripping the dagger held in his hand. 

“Well I can tell you that your horse isn’t here. So leave, or I’ll cut your head off,” the boy stammered. 

“Right,” Tony huffed. 

In a flash Tony was turning and ducking away from the sword pressed to his back before turning on his heel and hurdling himself towards the guard. In a blink of an eye, the kid was pinned to the ground, and Tony hand one hand over his mouth while his other hand pressed the dagger to his throat. 

“Don’t make a sound,” Tony hissed into the boy’s ear. “Or I’ll slit your throat and I won’t even bat an eye over it. -- You have a kid. You took my kid,” Tony growled. “Where is he? Where did you take him?” the farmer demanded.

The boy on the ground just started back at Tony for a long moment, and the two seemed to have a conversation with their eyes. After a moment Tony lifted his hand off of the boy’s mouth, while pushing down on the dagger ever so slightly. 

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the boy tried, but Tony just pressed harder on the weapon. 

“Try again,” he hissed. 

“Okay, okay.’ The boy choked out, clamping his eyes closed. “We have him, he’s in the woods,” The boy stammered. 

“The woods?” 

“Yeah, we tied him up to a tree and someone is standing guard while the rest of us rest for the night,” The boy explained. “That way no one sees him in the clearing.”

So that’s where the sixth man was. 

“How far?” Tony demanded, the dagger now drawing blood. 

“I-I don’t know, half a mile maybe,” The boy whispered desperately. Tony could only grit his teeth, realizing that their conversation was coming to an end. 

“Perfect. Thanks,” the farmer said before knocking the kid out cold. 

From there Tony made his way cautiously into the forest, trying to keep an eye out for the sixth person. Tony tried to time how long he had been in the forest to gauge how far he had gone, and at the appropriate time, he paused, trying to see if he could find any sign of his kid. 

It was quiet and muffled, but it was definitely a human made noise. After reorienting himself, Tony headed towards the noise, and stilled when he found the source.

Peter was in front of him, tied to a tree like the guard had said. The boy was kneeling on the ground in an uncomfortable position while his arms were tied high above his head, connected to a branch above him. His feet were then bound together behind him and were anchored to the base of the tree while a blindfold was tied tightly over the boy’s eyes. And to top it off a gag was pulled between the kid’s teeth so that he was biting down on the material. The sounds Tony had followed were coming from his kid, and they seemed to be grunts of pain. 

Tony knew there was a guard somewhere around him, but he couldn’t stop himself from going to the boy. Carefully stepping in the boy’s space, Tony laid a hand on the boy’s shoulder. In an instant the kid was thrashing in his spot. His entire body swung wildly from the branch as panicked breaths escaped the his mouth. 

“Pete. It’s me. It’s Tony, calm down,” The man said quietly but with confidence. Instantly the boys stilled and a heavy sigh was escaping his open mouth. “That’s right, it’s just me. You’re okay,” Tony said as he began to work on the kid’s blindfold.

As soon as the cloth fell Tony came face to face with Peter’s big brown eyes, and the man’s heart broke. Peter looked absolutely terrified. “You’re okay. I got you,” the farmer insisted as he cupped Peter’s face with his calloused hand before going to work at the gag. Soon Peter was free from the gag and was working his jaw up and down, trying to rid his joints from pain. 

“Tony,” Peter stammered as tears collected in his eyes. “How did you find me?” Peter asked, his breathing labored. “I-I-I thought I would never see you again,” The kid explained, his chest beginning to rise and fall faster and faster. Peter had never really had a panic attack, as far as Tony had known, but the boy was getting into dangerous territory. 

“Shh,” Tony whispered as he pulled the tethered boy close to his chest, rubbing his back in between his shoulder blades where his arms were pulled back. “I got you. You’re with me. I’m going to get you out of here and we’re going to get you somewhere safe. Okay? I’m not going to let them take you,” Tony said, trying to comfort the clearly distressed boy. 

“Okay. O-Okay,” was all Peter could say as he leaned all of his weight into Tony, trying to calm himself down. 

“You’re doing great,” Tony muttered after a minute of trying to untie Peter’s wrists. They soon skipped off and in one fluid motion, Tony was working on Peter’s feet. As he worked on the rope, the man could see that Peter’s feet were bare and bleeding. They had taken him while he was probably sleeping. They had made him walk as they traveled. At least for a period of time. The thought of Peter being scared and hurt made Tony's blood boil, but he did his best to push down the feeling. Getting Peter out of there was his first priority. 

“You think you can stand?” Tony whispered as the rope fell away at the boy’s ankles. 

“No,” Peter said, holding back a sob. “My legs are asleep and...my feet hurt,” Peter stammered. “I just… give me some time and I’ll get them working again. I’m sorry.” Peter said, leaning his head into Tony’s chest. 

“No need to be sorry Pete. It’s not your fault,” Tony said, giving the boy a proper hug. “I’m just glad I found you.”

“How _did_ you find me?” Peter asked, his voice cracking. 

“I got some help from The Black Widow,” Tony hummed, feeling Peter let out a sigh. “You better thank her next time we see her,” the man then added on. 

“Sounds like a plan” Peter muttered, as he felt himself being shifted. “What are you doing?”

“Be quiet, I’m going to get you out of here,” Tony said, pulling the boy’s arm over his shoulder. 

“Thank you,” Peter hummed as he did his best to stand. 

“I’ll always come for you kid,” Tony muttered as he pressed his face to the boy’s curls, breathing in his scent before he fully stood up. “Now just lean on me and don’t make a sound. There's a guard somewhere around here." Tony said as he began to lead his kid out of the woods. 

Peter knew he couldn't make a sound, or else they would be found, but in that moment he just wanted to cry in relief. Tony had come for him. And even though they still had to get out of the woods and away from the men, Peter knew he was going to be okay. 


End file.
